I have a few questions. I noticed that the maintenance schedule recommends an oil change every 8,000km. Shouldn't they be done every 5,000 - 6,000km? Also, do any of you guys/gals have a program for your PC that helps you monitor and track your maintenance, logs, mileage etc?

Any tips, hints or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

PJStyles

P.S - Should I switch to synthetic oil on the first oil change or just stick with regular oil?

 

An oil change interval of 8000 km is perfectly normal these days and a lot shorter than some cars require. No real reason to change at 1000 km, either. Just wait until 8000 km, if you plan to follow Mazda's schedule.

About a PC program, someone posted an Excel spreadsheet on this board a few months ago that laid out the maintenance schedule in an easier-to-read format than in the manual, and provided a maintenance log section. I don't remember who posted it but I have a copy of the file--email me if you'd like it.

 

One last thing.. I've always been told that not only should you change the oil and filter after 1,000km on a new car, but you should also change the transmission oil after 1,000km on a 5spd car because of the metal particles that may be floating around from working in the transmission... Not sure if there's any truth to that...

PJStyles

 

I'm wondering about the same thing too. Should I change the oil after 1000km on a new motor? I'm at 2000km now and when I checked the oil last nite it's still clean.

On the old Honda I used to have they don't recommend doing that as the engine is filled with some sort of break-in oil from the factory. They're alot thinner than the regular oil and there are some other additives to promote proper break-in. In fact when I took it in for an oil change at 5000 km the dealer refused to do it for me. Kicked me out and asked me to come back at 8k.

 

I think those sorts of recommendations come from people who remember the old days of relatively low-tech engines and lubricants where having your oil or tranny fluid changed a week after you bought the car might have made sense. Automotive technology has advanced a bit since then, but not everyone has updated their advice. Some people are reluctant to accept that there are things you don't have to do anymore. It's something that frustrates dealers, especially those who sell cars that have the oil sensors and can calculate for themselves when they need an oil change--often more than 20,000 km depending on how they're driven. The local Mercedes dealer here told me they have to beat owners off with sticks because there's a certain percentage who can't believe the car is really OK if it doesn't get its oil changed every 5000 km.

In the end it's your car and you can take care of it the way you feel most comfortable with--that's part of the fun of owning a car.

 

Due to weather conditions and climate, the Interval in EDMONTON ALBERTA from the dealerships lips to maintiain Warranty is 6000 Km. That sounds about right to me.

 

Great.. thanks for the good info... I just want to make sure I'm doing all that is necessary to give this brand spanking new car a very long life

PJStyles

 

Any chance you can find me a good Mazda Technician other than at the dealership? I live in Toronto and would be interested in an Abbey Road Automotive type solution for me here

PJStyles

 

just for trivial info;
certain BMW auto trannys cannot have their fluid changed, their tranny is a sealed unit with no way to drain it! it is lifetime, maintenance free, special fluid.
they also recommend against having your tires rotated

 

If the Bimmer is anything like my S2000, they recommend against rotating tires because the tires are directional. At least in the S2000, the rear tires are wider than the front, so side to side rotation is all I could do for rotation on that car anyway, and to keep the tires in the correct direction would require dismounting and remounting them! Rotating them without swapping rims turns the tires backward and you impair water channeling and traction.

 

All this talk seems centered around distance travelled. One must remember that oil begins to fail in two ways. The oil itself breaks down from usage, heat, etc. But also, the additives wear out and croak over TIME. That's why you should change it every X km or 3-4 months. I prefer 3 b/c of the harsher weather we have here in the great white north. I like my corrosion inhibitors, soaps, and VI dopes to be at there best at all times.

 

The time factor depends on how you drive, of course--if you drive mostly short trips where the engine doesn't often get up to regular operating temperature, then it would be a good idea to change the oil every three months or so. But if you drive on longer trips where the engine gets a chance to burn off excess condensation and carbon deposits, the oil will stay good for a much longer period of time. On my VW the recommended time interval for oil changes was six months, which was just about right for me. For my P5, Mazda recommends every four months but this seems to be a recent change--my dealer is still saying it's five months between oil changes.